- Open-pollinated
- Cherry
- 75 (estimated) days to maturity (from transplant)
- Indeterminate
- Black
Black Cherry
Open-pollinated cherry from USA, 2003. The dark heirloom flavour in cherry form: smoky, sweet and tangy. Ready in about 75 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 9, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Fruit type
- Cherry ~1 oz (15–25 g) · Round (estimated)
- Leaf type
- Regular leaf
- Days to harvest
- 75 days (estimated) from transplant · Midseason
- Plant height
- 6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) Tall
- Spacing
- 24 × 35 in (60 × 90 cm) (estimated)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Polytunnel · Open ground
- Container growing
- Not suited to pots
- Difficulty
- Moderate (estimated) 3/5
- Skin
-
- Black
- Interior
-
- Red
Plant size and habit
Tall · Indeterminate
6–8 ft (180–240 cm) (estimated) · Regular leaf
Black Cherry is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 6–8 ft (180–240 cm).
Flavor
“The dark heirloom flavour in cherry form: smoky, sweet and tangy.”
Growing calendar
75 (estimated) days from transplant Midseason
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 6–8 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Snacking
- Fresh & salads
- High flavor
- Kid friendly
- High yield
- Market favorite
Origin
Black Cherry brought the flavour of the large dark heirlooms down to cherry size, which had not really existed before it. It was found as a natural cross by Vince Sapp of Tomato Growers Supply and released in 2003 with its parentage undisclosed; within a few years it had gone from two commercial sources to nearly every catalogue. The plants are vigorous and long, and the fruit holds the smoky depth of a Black Krim in something you can eat by the handful.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (30 seeds)
Check availability
$3.45Checked Nov 1, 2026 - Baker Creek Heirloom SeedsSeeds
Packet size not listed
In stock
$3.50Checked Nov 1, 2026 - True Leaf MarketSeeds
250Mg Packet
Check availability
$3.59Checked Nov 1, 2026 - BurpeeSeeds
30 Seeds
Check availability
$3.95Checked Nov 1, 2026 - Eden BrothersSeeds
Packet
Check availability
$4.49Checked Nov 1, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Nov 1, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Black Cherry plant?
A Black Cherry plant grows 6–8 ft (180–240 cm) tall (estimated). Space plants 24 in (60 cm) apart in rows 35 in (90 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–14 days (estimated). It needs full sun.
How long does Black Cherry take to mature?
Black Cherry is ready in about 75 days from transplant.
Does Black Cherry need staking?
Black Cherry is an indeterminate plant that keeps growing and setting fruit until frost; it needs a stake, cage, or trellis for the whole season. Expect a plant of 6–8 ft (180–240 cm).
Can Black Cherry be grown in a container?
Black Cherry is better suited to open ground or a greenhouse bed than a container.
Is Black Cherry resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Black Cherry.
